The Denver Broncos have added running back Juwan Thompson to the active roster and placed running back C.J. Anderson on injured reserve…
The Denver Broncos were forced to make a move at the running back position with the somewhat surprise injury to C.J. Anderson after Monday night’s victory over the Houston Texans.
Anderson was placed on injured reserve and was replaced on the active roster by third-year pro Juwan Thompson, a former undrafted free agent out of Duke who made the team his rookie season with strong pre-season play and a good camp.
Thompson is a versatile athlete that has played running back, fullback, and even linebacker dating back to his college days, but he made his mark as a rookie on special teams and that’s where he’s likely to contribute unless the Broncos become in desperate need of a helping hand carrying the ball.
Thompson was fairly successful as a rookie running the ball in 2014, notching three touchdowns and averaging five yards per carry. He carried the ball just 18 times for 48 yards a season ago, and the Broncos decided to waive him at final cuts this year after drafting Devontae Booker and Andy Janovich to shore up the backfield.
While Thompson came to the Broncos as a running back, they moved him to fullback this offseason and he did fairly well. Blocking is still something he’s not necessarily prone to, but he’s a hard hitter and a bruiser who can grind out some tough yards in a pinch.
I don’t know if this will prevent the Broncos from seeking other options at the running back position after Sunday, but I hope it doesn’t. As much as Thompson is beloved by the fans, he’s not necessarily an upgrade on depth and the Broncos are incredibly raw and inexperienced at running back with Anderson not in the picture.
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Kapri Bibbs will be the primary backup to Devontae Booker, and both guys will get significant opportunities on Sunday against San Diego to prove that they can hold down the fort in Anderson’s absence.
Because of the NFL’s injured reserve rules, the Broncos can bring back Anderson at some point in late December or January. He will have to be out a minimum of eight weeks, and if they decide he’s ready to come back at that point, they can bring him in for the team’s final push for the playoffs and Super Bowl.
Bringing in Thompson was the most sensible move for this weekend’s game, as no one off the street is going to be able to come in and provide you with adequate knowledge of the offense, special teams, game plan, etc.
Surely, the Broncos have been scouting potential free agent acquisitions or practice squad players around the league (hello, Karlos Williams) and are looking at every option to get better while Anderson is absent.